Diagnostiscope



March 13, 195] v I w, J L 2,544,779

DIAGNOSTISCOPE Filed Dec. 28, 1948 v v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WEBSTER DALI ATTORNEVS' March 13, 1951' w, J, DALY 2,544,779

DIAGNOSTISCOPE Filed Dec. 28, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BYEBSTER J. DAL Y mwgpzwm fia ten teci Mar. 13, .1951

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,544,779 DI GNosTIsooi E Webster J. Dal-y, Los Angeles, Calif. A c on e mbe 28, 1948, "Swell 63 656 3 exams. (or. 250-105;)

This invention relates to X-ray apparatus and more particularly to mechanism for supporting the X-ray tube, shutter and the screen employed for diagnostic fluoroscope examinations. The invention relates directly to what is known in the art as vertical fluorosco'pes.

The principal object of the invention is to provide novel improvements in themechanism for supporting and controlling the parts of the apparatus in such a manner as to facilitate fluoroscopic examinations of the human anatoy.

Flouroscopic ez'rafninations of the human anat .omy must necessarily be made in a darkened area and consequently great ditficulties are usually encountered in manipulating the apparatus so that the parts of the human anatomy can be examined from the proper angle. It iS necessary that the rays emanating from the Xeray tube be confined to a particular part of the patients anatomy and to a particular desired position on the fluorescent screen. Heretofore it has been common to usea set of adjustable shutters for confining the X-ray emanations, one set of shutters being adjustable up and down, while another set is adjusted transversely of the first set. Also, heretofore it has been common practice to place the controls for operating these shutters at. some distance from the position cupied by the operator. It will be readily apparent that in a fluoroscope the diagnostician must stand in front of the fluoroscopic screen on the side opposite the X-ray tube and therefore it is'highly desirable that the shutter mechanism be very simple and be provided with means for varying the shutter opening with a minimum of efiort. It is also highly desirable that the controls for the mechanism be so located with respect to the fluorescent screen that the operator can use simultaneously the same'hand or hands for operating the controls that he uses for manipulating the fluorescent screen.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved shutter mechanism that is operable from controls carried by the porting mechanism for simultaneously controlling the movement fluoroscopic screen.

Another specific object is to provide an imof the Xnay tube and the proved shutter mechanism for use in connection with X-ray apparatus.

i lu t ated in ..ne

an elevation of the right-hand side Figure 6 is a sectional view on line 6- -6 of F g e Figure 7 is a sectional elevation on line 1- of Figure 5 Figure s is a partial detail section. through one sewer 9 h ar ia e sh n in F u 4 showing the manner in which the rollers are ad ustabl with res ct t6 t rods h which ,thra en a ed new 9 a'rie j... t b a e eva o n i 9 grti ur an;

Eigure "l0 is a partial sectional elevation on lin n-. 0.Qffiaei Th aseom r g drawin il i one bodiment oftheinventi'enin which I represents a erine r d sea d cabin .wh h C ute thesupport' for a arriage on which, in turn is supported the Kim?,ltlilpe, the shutter and a tween we n- .Arhu h invention is I n with apparatus which i fi mmonly kndwn the art as a vertical nuoroscope, it will be readily apparent that it is applicable to other typesof apparatus.

The detailspf the construction of the cabinet are not shown because theyform no part of the present inventien. "Sufliee it to say that the ca binet is provitledwith suitablegiiide rails 2 which guide the carr ge on whih the X-ray apparatus is carried. It illbe readily,ap'p alrent from the first three figures of the drawings that the X-ray tube is supported on the carriage insideof thecabinet an that there .is' aproiecte'd arm wh h supports the fluorescent screen at .some distance in iront of thecabinet sothat a person can .Stand'against the cabinet between the Xfraytube an the screen during the' fluo scopiceii hat n. In makin the eiiaminaor an .move the carriage hp and one of his hands with wh'i'eh he grasps the handles on the screen frame for adjusting the screen, can control the shutter opening, thereby adjusting the shape and size of the beam of X-rays being directed through the body of the patient on to the fluoroscopic screen. With the present invention the operator is enabled to make all of the necessary adjusments of the X-ray generator shutter and the fluoroscopic screen directly from his point of examination in front of the patient without having to remove both of his hands from the fluoroscopic screen.

To this end, a suitable carriage 3 is provided with rollers 4 having concave faces as shown in Figure 8, the rollers being mounted for rotation at the four corners of the carriage with their concave faces engaging the guides 2 which may be inthe form of round rods. In order that the lateral movement of the carriage with respect to the guides may be limited, the rollers 4 on at least one side of the carriage, are provided with an eccentric bushing 6 through which their spindies i may be adjusted laterally. It will be readily apparent that the adjustment of the spindles l is made by loosening the nut 8 and adjusting the eccentric bushing by turning the hexagonal head 6a. This adjusting mechanism is of conventional construction and it is believed that no further detailed description is necessary as it will be readily understood by a skilled mechanic. The weight of the carriage and the X-ray apparatus may be counter-balanced by suitable cables 9 which are adapted to wind around conventional spring biased drums or rollers and journalled in the depending supporters l l at the top side of the cabinets. if desired, the cables 9 and the spring biased drums could be replaced by tension springs or, alternatively, the spring biased drums could be replaced by counter-balancing weights, all in a manner which is well known.

Of course,

The X-ray apparatus which comprises the X-ray tube conventionally shown at 2, the shutter mechanism 13 and the fluorescent screen I4, are carried by a supporting frame l6 which in turn is adjustably supported by the carriage 3.

A practical embodiment of this supporting frame comprises a magnesium casting H on which the X-ray tube 12 and the shutter mechanism I3 is carried directly. The X-ray tube 12 is carried by arms a which project from one side of the casting IT. This casting ll is grooved on its upper and lower edges to receive steel bars 19 and 21 which serve as guide tracks to permit the lateral adjustment of the casting 11 with respect to the carriage 3. In this connection the carriage 3 is provided with suitable rollers 24, similar to the rolZers 4 previously described, the rollers 24 being rotatively mounted on suitable spindles projecting laterally from the, casing 3. The periphery of the rollers 24 is concave so that when they engage the rods I9 and 2f the casting i1 is guided in a fixed plane.

As will be more clearly shown in Figure 4, the casting l1 includes a.transverse plate 26 which extends in a plane normal to the main body of the casting and is adapted to extend outwardly from the cabinet I when the components of the apparatus are in their assembled relation. In order that the fluorescent screen i4 shall be supported in definite relation to the X-ray tube l2, the screen is supported by a suitable frame 30 which is angularly and adjustably supported to the outer end of the plate 26 by means of an intermediate frame 3|. The frame 3| is hinged to the plate 25 as at 32 and is also hingedly connected to the frame 30 as at 33. In a practical embodiment of the invention the frames 30 and SI are made of a light-weight alloy casting similar to the alloy used in making the casting ll. Preferably the frame 3| is cast integraly with a box 34 which is adapted to house electrical controls and electrical measuring instruments. It will be readily apparent that in view of the two hinges, one at 32 and the other at 33, the fluorescent plate can be angularly adjusted about vertical axes and also the fluoroscopic screen can be moved a limited amount toward and away from the cabinet to facilitate the diagonostic examination of the patient. It will be understood that by folding the frame 3| outwardly about the hinge point 32 the distance of the screen M will be varied with respect to the X-ray tube l2. It will be noted that when it is necessary to swing the frame outwardly about the hinge point 32, certain lateral movement will be imparted to the carriage and X-ray tube and this can be compensated for by adjusting the frame laterally.

It will be noted that the screen frame 35 is provided with suitable handles 39a and 302) which will be grasped by the operator in positioning the screen It and in moving the complete X-ray apparatus up and down with respect to the patient during the examination. Each of the handles 35a and 302) are provided with electrical switches 40 which may be appropriately connected to control the energization of the X-ray tube [2. Preferably these switches are of the two-way type so that either one can be used to control the apparatus. The details of this are not shown in that, the details thereof constitute no part of the invention, the relative positioning of the controls being the important feature as far as this invention is concerned. The electrical conductors leading to the switches are supported in a recess in the lower part of the frame 30 in the manner indicated at in Figure 9. The conductors leading to the switches and to the electrical control box are supported in a channel of the side plate 25 in a manner indicated at 45 in Figures 2 and 10.

An important feature of the invention is the novel and simpleshutter mechanism I3. This shutter comprises two L-shaped plates and 5!. These plates are made of lead or any other suitable material which is opaque to X-rays. The two plates are pivotally supported at their opposite ends on links 52 and 53, the link 52 being pivoted to the plate 58 at 54 and pivoted to the plate 5| at 56 and the link 53 being pivoted to the plate 58 at 57 and being pivoted to plate 5i at 58. The link 52 is centrally pivoted to the casting ll at 59. Likewise the link 53 is centrally pivoted to the casting [1 at 61. From the above it will be seen that the plates 55, 5t and the links 52, 53 constitute a parallelogram mechanism, the plates 50, 5| forming one pair of the opposing elements of the parallelogram and the links 52, 53 forming the other pair of opposing elements, so that when the links are pivoted about their central points the plates 58 and 5! will approach each other in two directions simultaneously so that the shutter opening changes simultaneously in the two dimensions. In Figure 5 the position of maximum opening of the shutter is shown in full lines and the position of the plates when the opening is greatly reduced is shown in the dotted line position. It will be readily apparent that this construction provides a very simple mechanism which can be operated effectively by a simplecontrolmechanism having a: knob or lever which canbelocated. on the screen frame 30, or at least, adjacent the handles 30a andv 30b so. that it can be. continuously operated by the diagnosticia'n making the examination. In the embodiment of the invention shown, acontrol lever- 65 is mounted adjacent the lower front edge of the transverse plate 26 so that it is positioned adjacent the fluoroscopic screen. With this arrangement i-t Will be necessary for the operator to remove only one of his hands temporarily from one of the handles in the event he wishes to change the shutter opening but this would not be inconvenient in'view of the fact that he can readily reach the control at the position from which he makes the examination. The shutter plates 50, may be regulated by the lever 65 through means of a Bowden wire control 60 of conventional construction, or an similar device such as a rod. If a Bowden wire control were used it could be arranged in the lower hollow channel of the transverse plate 26. If desired, the Bowden wire control could be extended to a point immediately adjacent one of the handles 30a or 3% so that it would be closer to the handles of the fluoroscopic screen frame. The flexibility of the Bowden wire would lend itself to the pivotal mounting of the fluoroscopic screen frame.

The fluoroscope screen I! is of more or less conventional construction and comprises a lead glass panel H and conventional fluorescent screen panel 66. As shown in Figure 9, the screen frame 30 is provided with recesses on its back side, one of which i adapted to accommodate the lead glass and fluorescent screen panels and another of which accommodates the conductors shown at 45 and the third of which accommodates a fiber backing strip 61. A continuous boss 68 on the back side of the frame 30 is provided with holes which receive screws 69 which hold the backing strip 6'1, the lead glass panel H and the fluorescent screen panel 66 in assembled relation.

As mentioned previously, the details of the cabinet construction are not pertinent to the presentinvention except that it is necessary that the front of the cabinet between the X-ray tube and the fluorescent screen I 4 be of such material that it is transparent to X-rays. In a practical embodiment of the present invention a pressed wood fiber composition panel has been used. It will, of course, be understood that the side panel of the cabinet must be provided with a suitable slot such as that shown at 70 to accommodate the casting !7.

From the foregoing description it will be readily apparent that a novelfluoroscope apparatus is provided which is of very simple construction while at the same time is very efiicient in operation. It will also be noted that a mechanism is provided in which all of the components of the X-ray mechanism can be readily raised and lowered by the operator for the purpose of quickly bringing any part of the anatomy of the patient under observation. It will be also seen that the screen can be readily moved toward and away from the cabinet to accommodate different sized persons and that by reason of the fact that the apparatus can be moved vertically and the screen frame can be readily pivoted in the vertical plane, and that by having the patient turn at different angles with respect to the cabinet while standing in front thereof, the diagnostician can bring the fluoroscope apparatus to bear on the body of the patieiit'froifi substantially any practical angle from which it may be'desiredto make an examination.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many variations are possible without departing from the inventive concept. It is therefore desired that the invention not lee-limited except insofar as is made necessary by theprior art and by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Fluoroscopic' apparatus comprising a support, an X'-ray tube, a fluoroscopic screen spaced from saidX-ra'y tube anda fluoroscopic shutter between said X-ray' tube and said fluoroscopic screen, said fluoroscopic shutter comprising a pluralit of links centrally pivoted to said support, a plurality of substantially L-shaped shutter plates, one of said shutter plates being pivotally connected to each of said links at points spaced by the same amount a the distance between the pivotal connection of said links to said support, and the other of said shutter plates being likewise pivoted to said respective links on the opposite side of the pivotal connection of said links with said support at points spaced a. distance equal to the spacing between the pivotal connections of said links to said support, whereby said links and said shutter plates constitute a parallelogram linkage for supporting and guiding said plate with said plates forming one pair of opposing elements of the parallelogram and in which said shutter plates will simultaneously approach each other in directions par allel to the legs of said L-shaped plates thereby reducing the intervening opening simultaneously in both dimensions.

2. Fluoroscopic apparatus comprising a supporting frame, an X-ray tube, a fluoroscopic screen spaced from said X-ray tube and a fluoroscopic shutter carried by said frame and disposed between said X-ray tube and said fluoroscopic screen, said fluoroscopic shutter comprising a pair of levers centrally pivoted to said supporting frame, a pair of L-shaped X-ray opaque shutter plates each having a vertical and horizontal aperture-defining arm, each of said shutter plates being pivotally intercoupled with a corresponding end of each of said levers to form a parallelogram linkage with said levers and defining a rectangular aperture between said plates, and means intercoupled with one of said levers for rotating said lever, said plates being entirely supported and guided by said levers with the horizontal arms of the plates forming the horizontal elements of the parallelogram linkage and the levers forming the generally vertically arranged elements thereof, whereby rotation of one of said levers causes said plates to simultaneously approach or recede from each other to vary the intervening aperture therebetween simultaneously in both horizontal and vertical directions while the opposing aperture forming arms are maintained in relative parallel relation.

3. A fluoroscopic apparatu comprising a supporting frame, an X-ray tube, a fluoroscopic screen spaced from said X-ray tube and a fluoroscopic shutter carried on said frame and disposed between said X-ray tube and said fluoroscopic screen, said fluoroscopic shutter comprising a pair of L-shaped shutter plates each having a vertical and horizontal aperture defining arm, said plates being oppositely disposed so that their arms define a rectangular aperture therebetween, a parallelogram linkage controlling movement of 7v said plates comprising a pair of levers each centrally pivoted to said supporting frame and pivotally intercoupled at opposite ends to said pair of plates to support and guide said plates with the levers and plates respectively forming opposing pairs of the elements of the parallelogram, and means intercoupled with one ofsaid levers for rotating said lever, whereby rotation of one of said levers causes said plates to simultaneously approach or recede from each other to vary the intervening aperture defined therebetween simultaneously in both horizontal and vertical directions while the opposing aperture forming arms are maintained relatively parallel.

WEBSTER J. DALY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,250,730 Waite Dec. 18, 1917 2,082,965 Lundquist June 8, 1937 2,132,076 Kotraschek et a1. Oct. 4, 1938 10 2,456,096 Wehmer Dec. 14, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 488,776 France Nov. 14, 1918 

